The Gerald Riggs Show: Earnest Byner

Thanksgiving is a time for family and good friends, so we\'re thankful Gerald\'s friend and former teammate Earnest Byner could take the time to join us and talk a little football. Plus, RGIII is headed to the bench and probably out of DC, and the race to be the best of the worst in the NFC South.

Earnest Byner

Earnest Byner was a 10th-round pick out of East Carolina by the Browns in the 1984 draft. Eight months later, he had established himself as their best running back.



In Byner\'s second season, 1985, he rushed for 1,002 yards and his backfield running mate, Kevin Mack, compiled 1,104 yards. Only six times in NFL history have two players on the same team rushed for at least 1,000 yards in the same season.



In two stays with Cleveland, Byner ran for 3,364 yards and 27 touchdowns and caught 276 passes for 2,630 yards and 10 TDs.

Byner was traded to the Washington Redskins before the start of the 1989 season for running back Mike Oliphant. In Super Bowl XXVI, in 1992, he caught a touchdown pass in the second quarter, and the Redskins won, giving him the NFL Championship he could not win with the Browns.



Byner was a Pro Bowl selection in 1990 when he ranked fourth in the NFL with 1,219 yards rushing and in 1991 when he ranked fifth in the NFL with 1,048 yards rushing. His time with the Redskins earned him a position as one of the franchise\'s 70 Greatest Redskins. He worked in the Baltimore Ravens front office as the Director of Player Development after retiring as a player. He was the first player to be inducted into the Ravens\' Ring of Honor in 2001. He was also a running backs coach for the Redskins, Buccaneers, Jaguars and Tennessee Titans.

Coach Byner\'s Website